Protective device for valved fittings or the like



May 25, 1965 c, oss 3,185,336

PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR VALVED FITTINGS OR THE LIKE Filed Sept. 13, 1963HER ERT C. 6058 BY%/% W his ATTQRNEY United States Patent 3,185,336PROTECTIVE DEVICE FGR VALVED FITTINGS OR THE LIKE Herbert (J. Goss,Gienshaw, Pa, assignor to Goss Gas, Inc., Glenshaw, Pa., a corporationof Pennsylvania Fiied Sept. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 308,849 1 Claim. (Cl.220-38) This invention relates to protective devices for valved fittingsprojecting outwardly from a container for liquidsv or fluids. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to a protective device of the typedescribed which is tamper- I proof and which gives virtually absoluteprotection against the possibility of damage to, or breakage of, thefitting.

Although not limited thereto, the present invention is particularlyadapted for use in the protection of valved fittings on shippingcontainers for acids and noxious or highly flammable liquids and gases.In such cases, it is absolutely essential to prevent breakage of valvedfittings which project from the container. Otherwise, the fittings maybe broken in transit with serious consequences.

In the past, various devices have been used in an effort to protect thefittings on containers for noxious and highly flammable liquids andgases; however all have been deficient in one manner or another, eitherbecause they do not provide the required protection against jars orshocks, or because they can be opened by other than authorized personnelqualified to handle the highly dangerous contents.

Accordingly, as an overall object, the present invention seeks toprovide a protective device for valved fittings on containers fordangerous liquids or gases, which device affords absolute protectionagainst damage to the fittings in contrast to prior art devices of thistype.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protective device of thetype described which can be readily and economically fabricated.

In accordance with the invention, a protective device is providedcomprising an annular collar projecting upwardly from the top of acontainer for liquids and surrounding the fittings to be protected, acup-shaped cap adapted to fit over the collar, and a slotted, hingedconnection between the collar and the cap permitting the cap to befitted over the collar by straight-line downward movement where it maybe locked in position or moved upwardly above the collar bystraight-line upward movement and thereafter rotated to expose thefittings. In this manner, the cap can be positively locked to thecontainer with the collar preventing lateral movement of the same.However, by virtue of the slotted, hinged connection, the fittings maybe readily exposed.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification,and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partially broken-away cross-sectional view of theprotective device of the invention, showing its orientation on acontainer for liquids;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line II-Il ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the collar and cap of theprotective device of the invention; and

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C illustrate the manner of operation of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, acontainer for flammable or noxious fluids is shown having valvedfittings 12, 14 and 16 projecting upwardly from its top surface. Eachvalved fitting is threaded into a coupling preferably welded around theperiphery of an opening in the top of the container 10,

3,185,336 Patented May 25, 1965.

two of such couplings 18 and 20 being shown in FIG. 1.

As was explained above, containers such as that shown in FIG. 1 areoften given rough treatment during shipment, with the result that in theabsence of some type of protective device for the fittings they maybreak, thereby permitting the escape of the noxious or highly flammablecontents of the container. Furthermore, there is always the possibilityof unauthorized personnel opening the valved fittings and permittingnoxious fumes, for example, to escape.

Accordingly, the protective device of the present invention is providedwhich includes an annular collar 22 which surrounds the valved fittings12-16 and is welded or otherwise securely fastened to the top of thecontainer 10. Semi-circular openings 23 are provided at the lower edgeof the collar 22 to permit the escape of liquids such as water and,thus, prevent their accumulation within the area defined by the collar.Welded or otherwise securely fastened to one side of the collar 22 andprojecting radially outwardly therefrom is a slotted guide lug 24.Spaced from the guide lug 24 and also welded to the perriphery of thecollar 22 is a radially-extending locking lug 26 provided with acentral, circular opening 28.

Adapted to fit over the annular collar 22 is an inverted cup-shaped cap30 which, of course, covers the valved fittings 12-16. It will be notedthat the inner peripheral diameter of the cap 30 is slightly larger thanthe outer peripheral diameter of the collar 22 in order to permit thecap to slide over the collar into the position shown in FIG. 1. Anaxially-extending slot 32 is provided in the edge of the cap 30 toreceive the guide lug 24; while slot 41 on the other side of the capreceives locking lug 26.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, ears 34 and 36 project radiallyoutwardly from the periphery of cap 30 on either side of the slot 32and, hence, on either side of the guide lug 24 when the cap 30 isslipped over the collar 22. In a similar manner, locking cars 38 and 40are spaced 180 from the ears 34 and 36 and are positioned on either sideof the locking lug 26 with the cap slipped over the collar 22. Openings42 are provided in the locking ears 38 and 40; and these openingsregister with opening 28 when the cap is inserted over the collar suchthat the shackle of a padlock or the like, not shown, may be passedthrough all openings in order to secure the two together.

Passing through the slot 44 in guide lug 24 and circular openings 46 inears 34 and 36 is a bolt 48 havinga nut 50 threaded onto its one end.The nut 50 is preferably locked to the bolt 48 by means of a cotter pinor the like, not shown.

As best illustrated in FIG. 3, the collar 22 is provided with slottedopenings 52 and 54 in its upper peripheral surface to facilitate hostconnections to certain ones of the valved fittings 12, 14 and 16.

The operation of the protective device of the invention may best beunderstood by reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B and 40. As shown in FIG. 4A, thecap 30 is slipped over thecollar 22 such that the openings 42 in lockingears 38 and 40 are aligned with the opening 28 in locking lug 26. Inthis position the shackle of a padlock or the like may be passed throughopenings 28 and 42 to prevent removal of the cap 22. Note that eventhough the bolt 48 is removed from openings 46 and the slot 44 with thelock in position, the cap cannot be removed from the collar 22 by virtueof the fact that the collar 22 will prevent rotation of the cap 30 aboutthe openings 28 and 42 in the locking lug 26 and ears 38 and 40.Furthermore, the collar 22 gives lateral support to the cap 30 so thatit cannot be dislodged by jars and shocks during shipment as is thecase, for example, with prior art protective devices.

In order to remove the cap 30 and expose the fittings 12-16, the padlockmust be removed from the locking lug 26 and ears 38 and 40, and the cap30 moved upwardly along a straight-line path. That is, even after thelock is removed, the cap cannot then be rotated about the axis of bolt48 for the reason that it will bind with the collar '22. Accordingly,the slot 44 in lug 24 permits upward movement of the shank of bolt 48 tothe position shown in FIG. 4B where the cap 30 may then be rotated aboutthe bolt 48 into the position shown in FIG. 4C where the fittings 12, 14and 16 are exposed. In order to again protect the valved fittings, theforegoing process is, of course, reversed with the cap 30 first beingrotated about the axis of bolt 48 with the bolt at the upper end of slot44, and the cap thereafter moved downwardly into the locking positionshown in FIG. 1.

Although the invention has been shown in connection Witha certainspecific embodiment, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in theart that various changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made tosuit requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

I claim as my invention: In a container for liquids, having a main bodyportion within which said liquids are contained, valved fittings Vprojecting from a wall of said main body portion, and protective meansfor preventing breakage of said valved fittings, the improvement in saidprotective means comprising; van annular collar secured to said wall ofsaid main body portion and surrounding said valve fittings; a cup-shapedcap slideable over said, annular collar, said cup-shaped cap encasingsaid valved fittings to protect the same; said cup-shaped cap having aninner diameter which is larger than the outer diameter of said annularcollar whereby said cup-shaped cap is guided by said annular collaralong a straight-line path parallel to the central axis of said annularcollar; and a slotted, hinged connection between said cup-shaped cap andsaid annular collar comprising a lug rigidly secured to the outersurface of said collar and projecting thereabove, said lug having a slottherein extending parallel with the central axis of said annular collar;21 pair of spaced, radially projecting ears secured to the outerperiphery of said cup-shaped cap and adjacent to the open end thereof;and a bolt device extending through said ears and said slot; the wall ofsaid cap having an axially extending slot positioned between said earsto receive said lug; said slotted, hinged connection permittingreciprocal movement of said cup-shaped cap along said straight-line pathand pivotal movement of said cup-shaped cap transversely of said annularcollar; said annular collar having an axial length which is a minorportion of the axial length of said cup-shapedca'p; the length of saidslot in said lug being substantially equal-to the axial length of saidcollar and being axially oflset above said collar by an amountsufficient only to permit disengagement of said cup-shaped cap from saidcollar and thereafter only pivot-a1 movement about an axis defined bysaid bolt device and disposed above said collar and transversely of thecentral axis of said collar.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 670,977 4/01Watson 220--38 1,977,268 10/34 Endacott.

2,3 89,811 11/45 Ozlek 220-38 3,079,032 2/63 Dorey 220-38 FOREIGNPATENTS 464,443 7/5 1 Italy.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

